St. Louis woman poses as law enforcement, legal expert in $80,000 fraud scheme

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A St. Louis-area woman has pleaded guilty to a scheme that cheated victims out of more than $80,000.

Sentencing is Jan. 9 for 46-year-old Theresa Moore, who pleaded guilty Wednesday to four felony fraud charges in U.S. District Court in St. Louis.

Federal prosecutors say Moore used aliases and claimed she worked in law enforcement or the legal profession as part of her scam. One victim was an elderly widower whom Moore convinced was the victim of identity theft. The man paid her more than $60,000 after Moore convinced him he would receive money as part of a legal settlement.

Authorities say an associate of Moore posed as a police detective to aid Moore in another scheme that cost the victim $20,000.